[사설]Mr. Yeon, who said, “I will go even if I get stoned,” what is he going to do while avoiding the National Assembly? | Dong-A Ilbo

Prime Minister Han Deok-soo reads President Yoon Seok-yeol’s 2025 budget speech at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 4th. It has been 11 years since 2013 that the prime minister read the president’s budget speech. Reporter Jang Seung-yoon tomato99@donga.com President Yoon Seok-yeol did not attend the National Assembly budget speech on the 4th. This is the first time in 11 years. There were no other official dates known. When he failed to attend the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Assembly this September, Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok said, “I couldn’t allow myself to go to the National Assembly and suffer the embarrassment of jeers and jeers directed at the President.” This time, there was no explanation as to the reason for non-participation.

In the past, the President’s State of the Union address would be read only by the President during his first year in office, and the Prime Minister would read it from the following years onwards. Then, it became a custom since the Park Geun-hye administration. Even when her impeachment was discussed in the National Assembly, former President Park personally gave a speech on the budget. Where did President Yoon say, ‘If you throw a stone, you will get hit even if you throw it’, after a meeting with People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon not long ago, where did it go? I hope that he was not unable to go to the National Assembly because he was afraid of ridicule or jeers from the opposition party.

The president does not gain dignity if he takes an attitude of admonishing the ruling party leader in front of him. On the contrary, the president’s dignity is not damaged just because he is ridiculed or booed by the opposition party. True dignity comes from the courage to face difficulties head on instead of avoiding them. Only such a person can ultimately return the ridicule and jeers of the other side to them.

If you are the president, you must trust the people. If the opposition party goes too far toward the president who came to the National Assembly to give a speech on the state of affairs, wouldn’t the public evaluate it accordingly? A president is still a president even if he is unpopular. Conversely, to the president, the people are the people even if they do not support him. Hasn’t he been reduced to a president with an approval rating in the 10% range (Gallup Korea survey) because he only says he will trust the people, but in reality he doesn’t listen to the people’s voices?

President Yoon will visit South America in the middle of this month to attend the APEC summit and the G20 summit. Even though there were 10 days left until his departure, he said he would only reveal his stance on political issues, including the First Lady Kim Kun-hee issue, later this month after an overseas trip, but suddenly announced that he would hold a public address and press conference on the 7th. After seeing the results of the first trial on charges of Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung’s violation of election law and perjury, it appears that he changed his plan when the atmosphere and public opinion within the ruling party were unusual.

President Yoon emphasized sound fiscal policy in a speech read by Prime Minister Han Deok-soo, but there was no reflection on the huge tax revenue deficit. He emphasized four major reforms, including pensions, health care, labor education, etc., but it sounded empty due to low approval ratings. As stated in the city administration speech, the economy is recovering, but the speed of recovery is falling short of expectations. Even though state administration is not easy at all, the president should not let the affairs of himself and those around him hold him back. This is why the public address and press conference on the 7th are attracting attention.

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